Category: Cuba’s Travel Industry

It has been nearly two years since United States President Barack Obama and his Cuban counterpart Raul Castro agreed to end the decades-long diplomatic impasse between the two nations. Although the embargo is pretty much still in place, tourism in the Caribbean island nation has been thriving, and the prospect of open travel between both countries is promising.

As can be expected, Cuba has been a political talking point in the campaign to succeed President Obama. While Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton has pledged to work with the U.S. Senate and the House to ease the embargo, Republican candidate Donald Trump would like to see the opposite.

During a Miami campaign stop in mid-October, Trump pledged to reverse the diplomatic work achieved by President Obama, who historically visited Cuba earlier this year.

Travel industry leaders are concerned about the comments made by Trump in Miami. Although they know that the controversial Republican candidate is merely one scandal away from losing every state to Hillary Clinton, they worry about the seed planted during this disjointed campaign.

According to a recent article by Johanna Jainchill of Travel Weekly, the tourism infrastructure investments made thus far in Cuba have been made with American travelers in mind. The current diplomatic course between U.S. and Cuba suggest that American tourism to the island will begin in earnest sooner than later. However, if Trump’s call to reverse diplomacy is heeded by political leaders, the investments made thus far could be jeopardized.

What is strange about Trump’s position in Cuba is that he has made his alleged billions in the hospitality industry. There was a time when he would have pushed for a Trump Hotel in Havana; these days, however, the rhetoric would no longer support such inauguration.